Team Amani Pull Off A Clean Sweep At Hell’s Gate Biking Festival
Team Amani Cycling duo of Jordan Schleck and Kenneth Karaya were victorious in the inaugural Hell’s Gate Biking Festival, which took place at the Hell’s Gate National Park in Naivasha.
Schleck took first place in two races: the Elite Men’s Overall Buffalo category, with a time of 1:40:13 and the Short Track, where he clocked a time of 00:13:06. Karaya, on the other hand, took top spot in the Cross Country race with a time of 00:41:57.
Said a representative from the team on the win: “Team Amani is a group of cyclists drawn from Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda, whose motivation is to change the narrative around bicycle racing and cement the place of cycling as a professional sport in the East African region.”
The first iteration of the Hell’s Gate Biking Festival was a huge success, with hundreds of biking enthusiasts from around the country converging at Hell’s Gate National Park for an adrenaline-pumping weekend. The festival, which took place on 19th and 20th August, featured various biking events and activities, including cross-country, short track and buffalo category races, as well as leisurely biking tours around the breathtaking scenery of Hell’s Gate National Park.
The festival was organised by Whistle Africa Events and Tours in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service, which manages the Hell’s Gate National Park and light beer brand White Cap Crisp. The aim of the festival was to promote biking as a sport and to encourage eco-tourism in the area.
“We are thrilled with the turnout and the level of excitement generated by the inaugural biking festival,” said Jeremiah Njanja, the event’s organiser. “Hell’s Gate National Park is one of the most iconic destinations in Kenya, and we are happy to showcase it to the biking community.”
The festival also featured a beer village courtesy of White Cap Crisp, food vendors, and camping facilities for participants who wished to stay overnight at the park.
“We commend the organisers for a job well done and for promoting sustainable tourism in our National parks,” said Prudence Mukami, White Cap Crisp brand manager. “We look forward to partnering with the festival again in the future.”
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